{"id":106147,"date":"2025-08-21T01:03:26","date_gmt":"2025-08-21T05:03:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=106147"},"modified":"2025-08-21T01:03:26","modified_gmt":"2025-08-21T05:03:26","slug":"ode-to-al-oliver-pirates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2025\/08\/21\/ode-to-al-oliver-pirates\/","title":{"rendered":"An Ode to Al Oliver, Pirates Hall of Fame Inductee"},"content":{"rendered":"

Al Oliver<\/a> will be inducted into the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame<\/a> with Kiki Cuyler<\/a> and Vern Law<\/a> on Friday. He was an outfielder\/first baseman and one of the most underrated hitters ever to play the game. More importantly, by all accounts, he\u2019s an all-around good guy. He craved recognition and, as a result, was largely misunderstood by Pirates fans.<\/p>\n

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Jun 1974; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Al Oliver at bat during the 1974 season. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Richie Ashburn<\/a>, a great hitter in his own right from 1948-62, didn\u2019t understand it: Oliver goes to a team, hits, and gets traded. On March 26, 1985, Ashburn told The Pittsburgh Press<\/em>, \u201cAl Oliver is a very nice man. He is intelligent, articulate, considerate, and well-liked by his teammates. He is not a troublemaker or a clubhouse lawyer, and yet he can\u2019t seem to find a team that will have him and hold him.\u201d<\/p>\n

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I am blessed to receive the honor of being inducted into the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame, with this class of greats! I want to thank the Pirates Organization and Voting committee for this great recognition!<\/p>\n

See you at PNC in August!! https:\/\/t.co\/ouPsaFnJ3u<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 AL OLIVER (@Alscoop16) June 7, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n